What powder drop for LCT

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Hokie_PhD

Hokie_PhD

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Now that spring is here I’m getting to shoot more.
Previously I’ve taken my time and loaded my ammo when I’ve had time.

Well I knew there would be a time where I’d have to up the production speed. It seems I’m rapidly approaching that time.

So, I’m looking to take advantage of my Lee Classic Turret to up the speed. The thing is I didn’t buy the kit, only the press. So I don’t have a powder drop on it.

I do have a Lee Perfect Powder drop that I’m not overly impressed with. It works ok with some powders, but is annoying with others. So I’m wondering what powder drop to get.

While I like Lees presses and dies, I’m not impressed with the powder drop I have. And that makes me leery of getting another Lee Powder drop.

The thing is I’ve also heard other brands are hit or miss also.

So what other powder drops do people use with the LCT? I’ll be mostly using BE86 and Win231/HP38.

I’m looking for the best value. So I’m not looking to go cheap, but I also don’t want to spend a fortune. That said, consistent drops and not having to mess with it is more important than saving a few bucks. Brand doesn’t matter as long as I’ll work on the LCT without issues.
 
Hokie_PhD said:
I’ll be mostly using BE86 and Win231/HP38.
Click to expand...
I use a Lee AutoDrum powder measures and find them accurate and easy to adjust. I have loaded a lot of Win231 with it and always found drops dead-on for the most part. Very rarely variation by 0.1grain.

I have five of these mounted on dedicated by caliber turrets. They all are consistently good.

I load Win231, Bullseye, Red Dot, Unique, W296, AA#2, and Clean Shot. All meter acceptably (within 0.1gr) and trouble free in use.
 
I just bought my second Lee pro auto disk (second for simplicity and time savings, not due to any trouble with the first). It's not a precision measure, but it's good enough to load pistol rounds more accurate than I shoot. Its also very simple to switch charges for different rounds and it's pretty consistently repeatable, so I can setup for the next cartridge, weigh the first charge (for a proven load), and be confident in my loads.

You didn't ask, but throwing it out there since you mentioned ramping up production on the LCT. the inline fabrication case kicker really helps speed things up. I've been very happy with the combo, only recently getting into a progressive because I found a local deal too good to pass up.
 
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cat_IT_guy said:
the inline fabrication case kicker really helps speed things up.
Click to expand...
I second this statement--STRONGLY! You will see about a 50% increase in production from the beginning... and some folks do even better. 50% improvement is a reasonable expectation.
 
I have 3 different Lee powder throwers. The disk, the pro disk with adjustable charge bar, and the drum.

My favorite is the drum. It leaked a bit with Enforcer so I took it apart, sanded some horizontal serrations in it, and now it throws consistently without leakage.

I would recommend trying the drum. I only load pistol and revolver and .1 grain one way or the other isn't enough to throw off my groups more than my shooting is off.
 
The Lee auto-disk has worked very well for me with my LCT. The Lee auto-drum is better in some ways, although it is prone to leakage in a way that the disk is not. I have a Lee drum mounted on my Dillon 650.
 
I am another with 4 Lee measures. The Auto Disk X2, the Auto Disk Pro and an Auto Drum. The original Auto Disk came with my Pro1000 the second one I bought used on ebay for next to nothing, the Disk Pro was a Xmas present and the Auto Drum I purchased shortly after they came out.

I have been loading HP-38, AA#2, AA#5 and Ramshot Silhouette. All pretty fine ball type powders. Loading with the Lee Pro1000 and knowing how leakage effects this press I have to say I haven't had much problem. And yes I use the on press priming with the Pro1000.

My experience has shown with these powders I consistently drop within .1gr of my target weight and most variance is usually dropped to the light side and not to the heavy side. With the standard cavities of the disks with the powders I'm using I can normally get 2 to 3 weights per powder, One at the beginning weight, one midway and one near max. I have also been using these long enough to feel comfortable just putting in the Disk number I have been using and start loading. So when I make an entry in my log book I note the powder, the cavity and the weight it was dropping.

Then there is the Micro Bar for the Disk measure and yes I use it for those in-between loads. I have a note in my Log book also that states approx.. weight I am getting with each powder and the charge bar set to the smallest opening.

I am more than happy with the performance, consistency and simplicity of the Disk measures for working with small pistol calibers.
 
GBExpat I just finished reading the topic in your link and found it a very good read!

Much of what is discussed is very true and just natural.. I do most of my loading on a Lee Pro1000 and do prime on press. Over the past few years of using this press I have found my "Zone" to be about 150 to 200 per hour, even on the progressive press that only has 3 stations. I know I spend way more time verifying powder drops, weighing powder drops, and checking primers and OAL than I really need to. Guess it goes back to my learning days on a single stage press and Lee hand dippers.

I do this because I enjoy the activity, creativity, and peace and solitude it brings. It also helps keep the mind active and alert! If I wanted competition I'd go back to work.
 
I have been using a Lee PRO Auto-Disk for at least 12 years in my Classic Turret Press and I'm happy with it. It's not perfect but hardly anything is. It works extremely well with ball powders like W231.

I have never used a Lee AutoDrum so I can't comment on it.
 
I think you'll find that some powders like some powder measures.
Not all powders like the same measures.

99% of my handloads are made with either a Dillon Powder Measure (PM)
or a Lee Auto Pro Disk PM.
My 3rd is an RCBS Uniflow (which I haven't used in several years)

So I guess what I'm saying is that the PM you buy may or may not like the powder you want.
W231, TiteGroup, Universal, Trail Boss, Varget, Accurate #2 & #5 all work great in the Dillon & Lee.
But the Lee leaks with TiteGroup.

2400 & Lil Gun prefer the Lee - they don't measure worth a dang in the Dillon.

By "work" I'm talking +- 0.1 grain.
Hope this helps.
 
I have 3 dedicated Lee powder drums. One on each turret set up for .380, 9mm and 45acp. They all leak a few kernels of powder over a large run but are accurate to .1 grains. I also have an auto disc pro that I haven't used in years.
 
I have several Lee Pro Auto Disks that I use on my LCT; primarily throwing W231, CFEPistol, and AA#2 with the turret, essentially an Auto Disk attached to each turret caliber so I don't adjust anything anymore. I do have one turret set up for 24 grains of CFE223 to load 223.
 
Another alternative would be this powder measure stand shown in this video. I thought I had seen more info but now cannot find it.

 
My start with Lee measures was when I replaced the RCBS Uniflo measure on an old Piggyback progressive with a Lee PTX die/2 risers/Lee Pro Auto Disk.
That was/is a game changer as that old Uniflo/Piggyback setup didn't sense the presents of a case and dropped powder every stroke :cuss:.
I have tweaked/mod'ed/developed a technique for that Auto disc setup over time and adapted it to every other press I own :thumbup:.
I also bought an adjustable disc and disc stacker kit, but have never used either o_O.

When the Auto Drum came out I bought one, tried it/tweaked it/mod'ed it/tried to like it, but returned to the Auto Disc.
These are the short comings of the A Drum, compared to the A Disc, for me:
Heavy/limiting spring pressure did not allow throwing 10 charges to weigh/average that could be easily done with the Disc measure.
Powder leakage, even with the "new" machined drums.
Sensitivity of drum knob "tightness" related to leakage.
here's a pic of the auto Disc as I use it with the chain arm and a spring, not the chain:
index.php

Spring attached to other die, easily unhooked to throw charge manually, could be used like this on a Turret :thumbup::
index.php

I never liked the "wrap around" spring setup that came with the auto disc- too much spring pressure/hard to disconnect/jerky action/etc.
:D
 
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I have a Lee Disk, A Lee Pro Disk and the Autdrum (as well as the Hornady Measure that came with my LNL)
I like the Hornady best, but both the Lee drum and disk measures work fine for me.
The disk works well but you are limited to what a disk will throw (or use BDS's screw mod)
NIce thing about the disk is if you know a cavity will throw what you want there is no adjustment)
The Auto drum is nice because it is adjustable, I use it for most everything I load except my match/practice 9mm stuff. (9mm practice/match is by far my highest volume load)
(I like to leave the Hornady set for may match load and not mess with it, yes I could buy more metering inserts but that's $)

I would say give the autodrum a try it's not much money (~$40)and you will probably like it.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016832532/lee-auto-drum-powder-measure
(lots of places...just used Midway for the link)

The Hornady measure is nice about $65 but you need the case activated linkage which is about another $65
(I have never used mine on my Lee turret so I don't know how well it would work there)

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/290524/hornady-lock-n-load-powder-measure
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/5...MItM6FuqDQ4QIVmB6tBh1CzgjMEAQYASABEgJwmfD_BwE
 
I used the Pro Auto Disk for about 3 years before switching to the drum. The Pro Auto Drum is pretty decent. I find it very accurate for W231, Sport Pistol, and H335 which are what I use the most of. For the price the drum is tough to beat.

Jeff
 
LCT press with turrets setup for .45ACP, 44 Special/Magnum, 38/357 Magnum. Each has a AutoDrum, easy caliber changes - except Special to Magnum. One AD had a leakage problem, but that got fixed with a bit of sandpaper and graphite. Auto Drum provides me consistent drops for the powders I use. BE-86, CFE-Pistol, Sport Pistol, W231, and even Trail Boss! Well reasonably consistent with TB. All my 9mm loading has moved to a LNL AP with the Hornady powder measure. Once the LNL powder got set up and woking, it provides the most consistent drops of all.
 
Another vote for the auto-drum. I used the auto-disk with the charge bar for a few years. But found that because of the charge bars oval shape at low cc settings, some flaky powders had a tendency to bridge in the cavity and drop squib load charges. I get much less powder leakage from the pro-drum.
 
kcofohio said:
I get much less powder leakage from the pro-drum.
Click to expand...
Simply amazing in this, 2 different users with 2 different results. Using ball type pistol powders I am getting much less leakage from the Disk than I am the Drum. But then again I am loading on a Lee Pro1000 press and with charges that are quite full I get more spillage than I do leakage from either of the measures. Therefore I try to find loads that are 1/2 to 2/3 full for the 380 and 9mm.
 
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